welcome to the blog

abigail albers

Favorites

We are more and more starting to catch our first glimpses of spring here in Michigan. This week the brown hued grass is peeping out, matted from being under inches of snow the past few months. Bit by bit February is giving way to March and soon the April showers will bring us the much […]

Three Flowers Beginner Gardens Should Grow From Seed

Farm & Garden

A big bucket of home grown zinnias

Do you remember that post about the booth at the antique show that said “EVERYTHING IN THIS TENT CAME FROM A VICTORIAN ERA GARBAGE DUMP”? Well guess what? That booth also had a bunch of antique English advertising containers as well (and a bunch of other treasures to behold). In his booth towards the back […]

All About English Advertising Containers

House & Home

What are old english advertising containers

Under normal circumstances I am a salty over sweet kind of gal. My great grandma Sjaarda always said she would choose a piece of cheese over chocolate and I would have to agree that apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. That is 99% of the case unless I’m close to one of my favorite […]

Small Business Special: Mokaya Chocolate Grand Rapids

Style & Fashion

Best Dessert Place in Grand Rapids

When I was a kid my grandma had the most magical place. She was a restaurant owner. Not only was she a restaurant owner her home was her restaurant. She and my grandpa restored a victorian parsonage to it’s original glory before youtube and before the diy network. She was a true O.G. when it […]

Where to buy David Austin Roses for your Garden

Farm & Garden

How to order Bare Root David Austin Roses

I know what you are thinking, another collection? I know I know but we’ve known each other long enough now to know that I can’t stop, won’t stop right? These antique mineral water bottles intrigued me inside of a booth at the Springfield Antique when I walked past the white tent that said “EVERYTHING IN […]

Antique Mineral Water Bottle Collection Codd Neck Bottle

House & Home

Where to find vintage glass bottles

Back in September my pal Ashley and I packed our bags and drove about five hours south to Springfield Ohio for the big antique extravaganza. Honestly it was one of the only flea markets of the year thanks to covid and we spent the entire weekend from sun up to sun down shopping the fields […]

How to Hang Wall Sconces

House & Home

How to Hang Sconces

I was looking back at old pictures of our flock and I can’t believe that our original Icelandic sheep are going to be six this summer. How is that even possible?!? We started out with a flock of four from a farmer we found on craigslist (say that 4x fast) and now we are just […]

Q & A with the Icelandic Sheep

Farm & Garden

How to raise icelandic sheep

This fall when I was at the Springfield Antique Market my snack of choice was the delicious homemade pretzels that the amish were making on a folding table under the tent. They were hot, soft and doughy, covered in delicious crunchy salt and served with a rich cheese sauce. There were no tables available so […]

Homemade Pretzels with Pimento Cheese

Food & Beverage

Staying home making Pimento Cheese and Homemade Pretzels

Around this farm I live in my aprons, every time I forget to put one on I always end up with olive oil splashed up the front of me. In the summer I wear them straight out to the garden to gather veggies and herbs for dinner. I also keep them on straight through dinner […]

Budget Linen Aprons under Twenty Dollars

Style & Fashion

budget linen apron

It’s that time of year where the seed catalogs are starting to appear almost daily in my mailbox. Every season I pour over catalogs finding the best seeds for our home garden. This year I am going to be trying a few different grouping techniques in the garden including separating my vegetables and my flowers. […]

The Best Tomatoes for Canning

Food & Beverage

Fresh Garden Tomatoes

The final stop on our virtual holiday tour takes us to the Christmas living room for 2020. This room seems to decorate itself. When joe requested that at least one room in our home have carpet I knew the living room needed plaid. The set up of our house is very seasonal. In the winters […]

Christmas Living Room 2020

House & Home

Vintage Antiques on the Holiday Mantles

It started with hauling out a faux Christmas tree back in November that was way too big for this room. Otto was begging to put up a Christmas tree but it was too early to get the real one that we put in our living room. We went to the pole barn and I tossed […]

Pink Poinsettias For Christmas in the Farmhouse Bedroom

House & Home

Vintage brick farmhouse fireplace